Sunday, February 21, 2016

Homebrew OSR Class: the Witcher


Geralt of Rivia by AnubisDHL of Deviantart

Witchers are part of a declining order of monster-slayers who rely upon alchemical potions and enhanced physical abilities to perform their dangerous work.  Dedicated to safeguarding humanity from the creatures of the night, witchers are not trusted in all corners, and their taking in of young children to undergo extensive training and alterations gives rise to many dark rumors.

Requirements: STR 13 DEX 13 CON 13
Prime Requisite: STR and INT
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 10

Attacks: Witchers attack and save as fighters.

Experience: Witchers gain levels at a rate equal to that of elves (or the slowest-leveling class in your retroclone of choice).

Weapons and Armor: A witcher can use all weapons and leather armor.  They cannot wear armor heavier than leather or use shields, as this interferes with their preferred fighting style.

Silver Sword: A witcher begins play with a silver longsword.  This sword is ineffective against humans and demihumans and deals -1 damage vs. them.  However, it is effective against certain kinds of monsters such as werewolves.

Enhanced Biology: Witchers are immune to diseases (but not poison).

Witcher's Medallion: Each witcher bears a medallion shaped like a wolf's head which vibrates in the presence of monsters or ambient magic within 30'.  At the beginning of each day the witcher selects which phenomena to attune to their medallion.

Mixtures: Witchers are trained in the arts of alchemy, and with proper time and ingredients can prepare a variety of potions, bombs, and oils known as mixtures.  With this a witcher can overcome the resistances of monsters, enhance their own senses and fighting prowess, and create deadly explosions.

Mechanically speaking, mixtures are treated like spells for the purposes of preperation, casting, and dispelling purposes.  If another person is to benefit from a witcher's mixture (such as a potion or oil), they must be within touch range of the witcher.  They also need knowledge of the proper ingredients to create a mixture, which are most often gained by finding ingredient scrolls via adventuring (treat as magic scrolls for the purposes of treasure generation).

A witcher's unused mixtures last until the next day, after which they spoil and the witcher must prepare new ones.

Potions brewed by a witcher are helpful, albeit toxic when imbibed in excess.  A witcher may drink one potion per day for every three witcher levels* without any ill effects.  Every potion drunk after that forces the witcher to save vs. poison or immediately die.  Non-witchers must save vs. poison upon drinking a second potion within the same day or suffer the same fate.

*For example, a 9th-level Witcher may drink 3 potions and function normally.

Reaching 9th level: At 9th level a witcher may establish a stronghold or school dedicated to the housing and training of new initiates.  Once a base of operations is established, he'll attract 1d6 1st-level witchers who are loyal to him as long as he treats them fairly.

Witcher Mixtures Per Day

Witcher Level
1st lvl Mixture
2nd lvl Mixture
3rd lvl Mixture
4th lvl Mixture
1st
1
-
-
-
2nd
2
-
-
-
3rd
2
1
-
-
4th
3
2
-
-
5th
3
2
1
-
6th
3
2
2
-
7th
3
2
2
1
8th
3
3
2
1
9th
3
3
3
1
10th
3
3
3
2

Mixtures

Black Blood (Potion)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber's blood becomes poisonous to creatures who taste it.  Whenever a creature makes a bite attack against the imbiber, they must save vs. poison or take 4d6 points of damage.

Blizzard (Potion)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 1 round/level
Range: Self or Touch

Time seems to slow down around the imbiber, allowing them greater reaction time in battle.  They gain a +2 bonus on all to-hit rolls, -2 Armor Class (+2 if using ascending system), and +4 on saves versus breath attacks.

Brown Oil (Oil)
Level: 3rd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

Any sharp or edged weapon coated with this oil leaves gaping wounds.  Opponents capable of bleeding suffer 1d6 points of damage 1 round after being struck, and 1d6 points of damage the round after that.  Multiple attacks with brown oil-coated weapons in the same round do not stack.

Cat (Potion)
Level: 1st
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber gains infravision out to a range of 60' if they did not already possess the ability.  This has no effect on those who already have infravision.

De Vries' Extract (Potion)
Level: 4th
Duration: 1 hour
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber gains infravision 60' if they did not have infravision, the ability to see invisible beings and objects, and can see through 5 feet of solid material.

Devil's Puffball (Bomb)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 3 rounds
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. poison or take 2d6 points of damage, then another 1d6 points the round after that.

Dragon's Dream (Bomb)
Level: 3rd
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. breath attacks or take 1d6 points of fire damage per witcher level.

Golden Oriole (Potion)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion gains a +4 bonus on all saving throws against poisons.  Additionally, it cancels out the effects of any poisons already affecting them if drunk within a number of rounds equal to the witcher's level.

Grape Shot (Bomb)
Level: 1st
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. breath attacks or take 1d8 points of damage.

Hanged Man's Venom (Oil)
Level: 1st
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

Any sharp or edged weapon coated with this oil deals 2 extra points of damage against humans, demihumans, and humanoids.

King and Queen (Bomb)
Level: 1st
Duration: 1 round
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. breath attacks or be overcome with fear for 1 round.  They'll do everything within their power to run as far away as possible, and barring that cower helplessly.

Necrophage Oil (Oil)
Level: 1st
Duration: 8 hours

Any sharp or edged weapon coated with this oil deals 1d6 extra points of damage against undead creatures.  This damage is capable of effecting undead with immunity to non-magic weapons, even if applied to a mundane weapon.

Ornithosaur Oil (Oil)
Level: 3rd
Duration: 8 hours

Any sharp or edged weapon coated with this oil deals 2d6 extra points of damage against reptilian creatures.  This damage is capable of effecting such monsters with immunity to non-magic weapons, even if applied to a mundane weapon.

Petri's Philter (Potion)
Level: 4th
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion is able to conjure more effective spells.  Those making a saving throw against his spells suffer a -2 penalty on rolls.

Red Haze (Bomb)
Level: 4th
Duration: 1 round/level
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. breath weapon or attack and hinder their own allies for the duration of the spell.

Shrike (Potion)
Level: 4th
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion emits an aura which causes great pain to those who try to engage them in melee.  Any creature within melee reach of him takes 1d6 points of damage per round.

Specter Oil (Oil)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

Any sharp or edged weapon coated with this oil is capable of harming incorporeal opponents such as ghosts.  This damage is capable of effecting incorporeal monsters with immunity to non-magic weapons, even if applied to a mundane weapon.

Swallow (Potion)
Level: 1st
Duration: 10 rounds
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion heals one hit point per round.

Thunderbolt (Potion)
Level: 3rd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion is capable of inflicting great wounds in combat, adding +5 on all damage rolls with weapons.  However, their increased aggression causes them to be careless with their defenses, suffering a +4 penalty to their Armor Class (or -4 if using the ascending system).

Willow (Potion)
Level: 2nd
Duration: 8 hours
Range: Self or Touch

The imbiber of this potion becomes remarkably resilient towards effect which would immobilize or stun him, gaining a +4 bonus on saving throws versus petrification or paralysis.

Zerrikanian Sun (Bomb)
Level: 3rd
Duration: 1 round
Range: 30'

All within 10' of this bomb's explosion must save vs. breath weapon or be blinded for one round.

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